Nichibi.Inc is committed to the highest level of quality in the manufacturing process of raw materials so that our customers can sell and use our gel nail polish products with peace of mind. We are the only gel nail polish developer in Japan that has established an integrated production system from the synthesis of polyurethane raw materials (upstream) to composition, filling, and shipping (downstream).
Unique development of polyurethane, the main raw material for Gel Nail Polish.
Gel nails have various requirements because they are applied to the human body. Adhesion to the nail, flexibility to follow the suppleness of the nail, transparency, toughness, durability, safety, low curing heat, high dimensional gloss, ease of application, resistance to unevenness, storage stability... the pursuit of performance is wide-ranging. High-quality gel nail production requires safe, high-purity polyurethane, which is specially designed for gel nail production as the main raw material. At Nichibi, a master of engineering specialising in molecular design continues to develop cutting-edge polyurethane for Gel Nails products.
"Polyurethane synthesis manufacturer" of gel nail raw materials.
Advanced design of polyurethanes specifically for gel nailing is possible at the molecular level from starting materials. It is the most important factor determining the performance of gel nail polish.
"Blendmakers" who purchase raw materials from "polyurethane synthesisers" and mix them.
Blend manufacturers do not have the technology to synthesise their own polyurethane raw materials and produce gel nail polish by mixing ready-made raw materials.
Nichibi.Inc is the only company in Japan with an integrated manufacturing system from upstream to downstream, from 'Polyurethane Synthesis' to 'Composition' to 'Colour Gel Formulation' to 'Gel Nail Filling and Packaging'.
Nichibi's greatest strength is its "Polyurethane Synthesis Technology", which can achieve performance as desired through advanced molecular control technology. The main raw material for gel nail polish is synthesised from high-purity, high-quality starting materials and manufactured from polyurethane (urethane acrylate oligomer) itself.
Cosmetic grades of polyurethane.
Cosmetic-grade raw materials are generally developed by cosmetic raw material manufacturers for use in formulations for the human body, a process in which safety and quality stability for the human body have been thoroughly examined. Those cosmetic grade raw materials are then blended into products by cosmetic manufacturers to produce cosmetics.
These cosmetic ingredients are registered as INCI names by the PCPC (US Personal Care Products Council) and are also listed in the ingredient display name list of the Japan Cosmetic Industry Association. And you can access information about ingredients based on the INCI name from anywhere in the world.
Cosmetic-grade raw materials are generally manufactured with safety and usefulness in mind, as they are used in cosmetics in accordance with laws and regulations. In addition, the distribution of cosmetic raw materials has a well-developed distribution network that is mutually linked with organisations such as the Cosmetics Industry Association of the world, so it can be said that these raw materials can be used with greater peace of mind than industrial-grade raw materials.
Such a difference between Cosmetic and Industrial Polyurethanes.
The polyurethane synthesised by NICHIBI for gel nails is developed for the purpose of use on the human body. We determine the safety of raw materials from the raw material stage to ensure that they meet cosmetic standards, and synthesise them using the safest possible method, taking into consideration such factors as toxic residues and skin irritation in terms of chemical reactions. Like NICHIBI, other polyurethane raw material manufacturers develop raw materials for cosmetic applications with safety in mind, and it is common practice for cosmetic raw material manufacturers to register their raw materials with the INCI Name in order to distribute them as cosmetic raw materials.
On the other hand, industrial polyurethane raw materials are manufactured as raw materials for applications that are not directly used on the human body, such as UV inks, UV paints and UV adhesives, and are therefore developed without any consideration of their harmful effects on the human body, skin irritation or allergic properties. As a result, there are many polyurethane raw materials with very high P.I.I. Values (Allergic Irritation) and high levels of toxic substances.
Industrial polyurethanes can also be synthesised in large quantities in a short time at low cost by using inexpensive catalysts to accelerate the reaction. However, synthetic reactions using inexpensive catalysts may leave behind toxic components such as organotin (tin).
As a polyurethane synthesiser, Nichibi's view is that the scrutiny of starting raw materials, manufacturing processes and safety standards for cosmetic and industrial applications are also very different. The polyurethane raw materials for cosmetic applications produced by NICHIBI are synthesised with far greater safety considerations than polyurethane for industrial applications.
With cosmetic ingredients, consumers can always access information about the ingredients.
Just as there is concern about food safety, and there is a safe and secure food distribution system that includes information on the origin of agricultural produce, whether or not pesticides are used, producer information, solid identification numbers for livestock and so-called traceability, a sound cosmetics distribution system is in place for cosmetic ingredients worldwide. For cosmetics, all ingredient information is required to be displayed on the packaging, and consumers can make their own decisions based on safety information published by the PCPC and the Japan Cosmetics Association. The INCI name of cosmetic ingredients is also very important and beneficial for consumers.
Cosmetic Grades of lame and holograms.
There are also cosmetic and industrial grades of glitter and other materials used in cosmetic gel nails. Glitter for example, is ground by depositing a colouring agent onto film or aluminium. In this process, cosmetic grade glitter etc. requires that the coloured pigment to be a cosmetic legal pigment. Cosmetic grade raw materials can therefore be 2-20 times more expensive than industrial grade raw materials.
Nichibi's cosmetic colour gels are made from cosmetic grade glitter and holograms that do not contain formaldehyde, heavy metals or other harmful ingredients.
On the other hand, industrial glitter and holograms coloured with industrial pigments are widely used in industrial products, such as kneading into plastic products, paint, printing and car paint. Industrial pigments have strong light resistance and are very inexpensive compared to those used in cosmetics. However, they are not suitable for use in cosmetic gel nails because ingredients such as formaldehyde may be detected and coloured pigments may elute into the gel nail.
Cosmetic legal pigment and industrial pigment.
Nichibi's cosmetic color gels are colored using legal cosmetic pigments used in lipsticks and eye shadows. Although legal cosmetic pigments are safe to use on the human body, many of them are less resistant to light, acid, and alkali than industrial pigments, and may fade in a short period of time. In general, makeup products such as eye shadow and lipstick are supposed to be removed in a day, so safety is more important than durability against fading.
Industrial pigments, on the other hand, are extremely strong light resistance and do not fade easily. Light resistance industrial pigments are used to maintain the vivid colours of painted car bodies, it does not fade even after years of exposure to intense sunlight. However, many of these pigments are highly toxic and their use in nail cosmetic gel nails is therefore prohibited.
In Japan, gel nail products that are clearly labelled as not being applied directly to the nails can be sold as miscellaneous goods, but in most foreign countries, gel nail products are defined as cosmetics, and coloured gel products (sundries) coloured with industrial pigments are often refused customs clearance.
A large line-up of legal dyes focused on EU, US and ASEAN cosmetics regulations.
We can also provide colour matching according to the regulations of the country in which the product is expected to be sold.
Overall, the technology used by japanese companies to develop cosmetic ingredients is globally advanced, but regulations tend to be loose. In many cases, Japan has followed EU regulations, and there is an undeniable sense that japan is lagging behind global standards. Even if there are no problems under japanese cosmetics standards, they are not accepted at all in the EU, the US and ASEAN, and there are many cases where products cannot be exported if the product is remain under japanese standards.
NICHIBI has a line-up of many legal pigments that focus on the most regulated EU cosmetics regulations by composing ingredients with a view to globalised cosmetics distribution. Based on data on available pigments, the latest N-CCM colour gel automatic colour mixing system allows the computer to instantly calculate combinations of pigments that are less likely to fade and formulate colour mixing recipes with a high degree of precision.
We pursue high quality in a thoroughly clean environment and state-of-the-art maintenance.
'About our hygienic production facilities'
Manufacture of gel nails in a thoroughly clean environment.
Thorough hygiene and operational systems are of paramount importance in the production of cosmetics. NICHIBI has introduced a strict operating system based on Cosmetics GMP and has established a hygienic and sophisticated manufacturing system. We constantly aim to minimise human error and produce high quality gel nails.
The secret behind smooth & creamy colour gels.
3-Roller Mill
Clear Gel and pigment are repeatedly passed through three roller spacers rotating in different directions and at different speeds to crush the pigment and create a particulate colour gel paste. NICHIBI has introduced a precision rigid three-roller machine Made in Japan.
By finely kneading the pigments and clear gel, unprecedented dispersibility and microparticulation are achieved. The masterbatches are manufactured in an environment that complies with cosmetic standards, with three-rollers installed in a clean environment with thorough hygiene and dust control measures. NICHIBI's colour gels are produced using high-performance manufacturing equipment, a hygienic environment and skilled technicians. Because it is a part that is invisible to our customer, we value great importance to the spirit of manufacturing with care, sincerity and dedication.
The glitter shine is totally different! The secret of maintaining high luminosity.
In the classic colour gel mixing process with a propeller stirrer, the contents are mixed by the rotation of the stirring blades and the generation of convection. However, the physical impact of the rotating propeller causes countless scratches to the holograms and glitter, resulting in a significant reduction in brightness. NICHIBI has introduced the latest planetary agitator/deaerator, which uses the powerful centrifugal force generated by the rotation and revolution to agitate the colour gel without the agitator blades coming into contact with it, thus enabling the colour gel to be agitated without damaging the glitter or holograms. The machine can also process 'Ultra-High Viscosity Gel Nail Polish', which cannot be agitated with a classic propeller agitator, and thus enables a speedy mass production system to achieve high quality and efficiency at the same time.
Latest Mixing and Defoaming Machine
Please feel free to contact us for projects that could not be technically realised elsewhere.
All ingredients, including the polyurethane for gel nails synthesised by NICHIBI, are made from INCI Name-registered cosmetic ingredients registered with the PCPC in the US and the Japan Cosmetic Association. We make sure our customers' products are manufactured with the utmost care in a hygienic environment with the latest equipment.